Smokeless flare burner

Abstract

A smokeless flare burner includes a housing, an orificed gas nozzle, a conical diffuser, two or more support members, and a retention cap. The housing has a longitudinal axis, a first cylindrical portion, a first tapered portion, a second cylindrical portion, a second tapered portion. The first tapered portion, the second cylindrical portion and the second tapered portion form a venturi. The orificed gas nozzle is aligned with the longitudinal axis and disposed within the housing. The conical diffuser is aligned with the longitudinal axis and has a vertex disposed within the second tapered portion and a base substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The two or more support members are attached to the second tapered portion and the conical diffuser to create a gap. The retention cap is attached to the base of the conical diffuser and extends beyond a perimeter of the base of the conical diffuser.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A burner comprising:
 a housing having a longitudinal axis, a first cylindrical portion, a first tapered portion connected to the first cylindrical portion, a second cylindrical portion connected to the first tapered portion, a second tapered portion connected to the second cylindrical portion, and the first tapered portion, the second cylindrical portion and the second tapered portion form a venturi;   an orificed gas nozzle aligned with the longitudinal axis and disposed within the housing proximate to the first cylindrical portion and the first tapered portion of the housing;   a conical diffuser aligned with the longitudinal axis and having a vertex disposed within the second tapered portion of the housing and a base substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;   two or more support members attached to the second tapered portion of the housing and the conical diffuser that create a gap between the second tapered portion of the housing and the conical diffuser; and   a retention cap attached to the base of the conical diffuser and extending beyond a perimeter of the base of the conical diffuser.   
     
     
         2 . The burner as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising two or more air intake openings within the first cylindrical portion of the housing. 
     
     
         3 . The burner as recited in  claim 2 , further comprising a lower cap attached to the first cylindrical portion substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         4 . The burner as recited in  claim 1 , the retention cap having a diameter greater than or equal to a maximum diameter of the second tapered portion of the housing. 
     
     
         5 . The burner as recited in  claim 1 , a shape of the conical diffuser is substantially parallel to a shape of the second tapered portion of the housing. 
     
     
         6 . The burner as recited in  claim 1 , the two or more support members comprising a tapered cylinder having two or more exhaust openings. 
     
     
         7 . The burner as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a stack connected to the orificed gas nozzle. 
     
     
         8 . The burner as recited in  claim 1 , the burner having a height to diameter ratio of between 2.0 and 2.2 to 1. 
     
     
         9 . The burner as recited in  claim 1 , the burner having a height to diameter ratio of approximately 2.1 to 1. 
     
     
         10 . The burner as recited in  claim 1 , an effective cross-sectional area of the gap is approximately 250 times a cross-sectional area of the orificed gas nozzle. 
     
     
         11 . The burner as recited in  claim 1 , an effective cross-sectional area of the gap is greater than a cross-sectional area of the second cylindrical portion of the housing. 
     
     
         12 . The burner as recited in  claim 1 , a cross-sectional area of the second cylindrical portion of the housing is approximately 35 to 40% of a cross-sectional area of the first cylindrical portion of the housing. 
     
     
         13 . The burner as recited in  claim 1 , wherein a gas exiting the orificed gas nozzle provides a motive force that induces a flow of air into the first cylindrical portion of the housing. 
     
     
         14 . The burner as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the flow of air into the first cylindrical portion of the housing mixes with the gas within the housing and an air outside the gap completes a combustion of the gas. 
     
     
         15 . The burner as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a pilot or igniter disposed proximate to the gap. 
     
     
         16 . The burner as recited in  claim 1 , a flow rate of a gas exiting the orificed gas nozzle is no less than approximately 30% of a maximum flow rate of the gas. 
     
     
         17 . The burner as recited in  claim 1 , the housing disposed within a chimney or vented enclosure. 
     
     
         18 . The burner as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an expansion chamber disposed around an exterior of the second cylindrical portion and having an exit proximate to the gap between the second tapered portion of the housing and the conical diffuser; and   a low pressure gas nozzle connected to the expansion chamber using a tubing.   
     
     
         19 . The burner as recited in  claim 18 , the tubing includes a flared portion proximate to the low pressure gas nozzle and an opening that creates a venturi effect to mix a low pressure gas with an outside air. 
     
     
         20 . The burner as recited in  claim 18 , the burner operates using a high pressure gas only, a low pressure gas only, or both the high pressure gas and the low pressure gas. 
     
     
         21 . A burner comprising:
 a housing having a longitudinal axis, a first cylindrical portion, a first tapered portion connected to the first cylindrical portion, a second cylindrical portion connected to the first tapered portion, a second tapered portion connected to the second cylindrical portion, and the first tapered portion, the second cylindrical portion and the second tapered portion form a venturi;   an orificed gas nozzle aligned with the longitudinal axis and disposed within the housing proximate to the first cylindrical portion and the first tapered portion of the housing;   a conical diffuser aligned with the longitudinal axis and having a vertex disposed within the second tapered portion of the housing and a base substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;   two or more support members attached to the second tapered portion of the housing and the conical diffuser that create a gap between the second tapered portion of the housing and the conical diffuser;   a retention cap attached to the base of the conical diffuser and extending beyond a perimeter of the base of the conical diffuser;   an expansion chamber disposed around an exterior of the second cylindrical portion and having an exit proximate to the gap between the second tapered portion of the housing and the conical diffuser; and   a low pressure gas nozzle connected to the expansion chamber using a tubing.   
     
     
         22 . The burner as recited in  claim 21 , the tubing includes a flared portion proximate to the low pressure gas nozzle and an opening that creates a venturi effect to mix a low pressure gas with an outside air. 
     
     
         23 . The burner as recited in  claim 21 , the burner operates using a high pressure gas only, a low pressure gas only, or both the high pressure gas and the low pressure gas. 
     
     
         24 . A burner comprising:
 a housing having a longitudinal axis, a first cylindrical portion, a first tapered portion connected to the first cylindrical portion, a second cylindrical portion connected to the first tapered portion, a second tapered portion connected to the second cylindrical portion, and the first tapered portion, the second cylindrical portion and the second tapered portion form a venturi;   two or more air intake openings within the first cylindrical portion of the housing;   an orificed gas nozzle aligned with the longitudinal axis and disposed within the housing proximate to the first cylindrical portion and the first tapered portion of the housing;   a conical diffuser aligned with the longitudinal axis, having a vertex disposed within the second tapered portion of the housing, a base substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and a shape of the conical diffuser is substantially parallel to a shape of the second tapered portion of the housing;   two or more support members attached to the second tapered portion of the housing and the conical diffuser that create a gap between the second tapered portion of the housing and the conical diffuser; and   a retention cap attached to the base of the conical diffuser, extending beyond a perimeter of the base of the conical diffuser the retention cap, and having a diameter greater than or equal to a maximum diameter of the second tapered portion of the housing.   
     
     
         25 . The burner as recited in  claim 24 , further comprising a lower cap attached to the first cylindrical portion substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         26 . The burner as recited in  claim 24 , the two or more support members comprising a tapered cylinder having two or more exhaust openings. 
     
     
         27 . The burner as recited in  claim 24 , further comprising a stack connected to the orificed gas nozzle. 
     
     
         28 . The burner as recited in  claim 24 , the burner having a height to diameter ratio of between 2.0 and 2.2 to 1. 
     
     
         29 . The burner as recited in  claim 24 , the burner having a height to diameter ratio of approximately 2.1 to 1. 
     
     
         30 . The burner as recited in  claim 24 , an effective cross-sectional area of the gap is approximately 250 times a cross-sectional area of the orificed gas nozzle. 
     
     
         31 . The burner as recited in  claim 24 , an effective cross-sectional area of the gap is greater than a cross-sectional area of the second cylindrical portion of the housing. 
     
     
         32 . The burner as recited in  claim 24 , a cross-sectional area of the second cylindrical portion of the housing is approximately 35 to 40% of a cross-sectional area of the first cylindrical portion of the housing. 
     
     
         33 . The burner as recited in  claim 24 , wherein a gas exiting the orificed gas nozzle provides a motive force that induces a flow of air into the first cylindrical portion of the housing. 
     
     
         34 . The burner as recited in  claim 33 , wherein the flow of air into the first cylindrical portion of the housing mixes with the gas within the housing and an air outside the gap completes a combustion of the gas. 
     
     
         35 . The burner as recited in  claim 24 , further comprising a pilot or igniter disposed proximate to the gap. 
     
     
         36 . The burner as recited in  claim 24 , a flow rate of a gas exiting the orificed gas nozzle is no less than approximately 30% of a maximum flow rate of the gas. 
     
     
         37 . The burner as recited in  claim 24 , the housing disposed within a chimney or vented enclosure. 
     
     
         38 . The burner as recited in  claim 24 , further comprising:
 an expansion chamber disposed around an exterior of the second cylindrical portion and having an exit proximate to the gap between the second tapered portion of the housing and the conical diffuser; and   a low pressure gas nozzle connected to the expansion chamber using a tubing.   
     
     
         39 . The burner as recited in  claim 38 , wherein the tubing includes a flared portion proximate to the low pressure gas nozzle and an opening that creates a venturi effect to mix a low pressure gas with an outside air. 
     
     
         40 . The burner as recited in  claim 38 , wherein the burner operates using a high pressure gas only, a low pressure gas only, or both the high pressure gas and the low pressure gas.